Cover for an aircraft structure

Abstract

The invention relates to nose parts of the fairing of vertical and horizontal tails and wings of an aircraft with a skin and a support structure, the skin ( 2 ) being disposed on the support structure ( 4, 6 ). The support structure is provided with a plurality of ribs ( 6 ) and a plurality of stringers ( 4 ), the plurality of stringers being arranged on the plurality of ribs to support the skin. Advantageously, an improved deformation behavior can be obtained, e.g. in the event of an impact of a bird, while the weight and cost are minimized by providing the stringers.

1 . A cover for an aircraft structure, in particular for nose parts of the vertical tail, horizontal tail or the wing, wherein the cover comprises: 
 a skin;    a support structure;    wherein the skin is arranged on the support structure;    wherein the support structure includes a plurality of ribs and a plurality of stringers;    wherein the plurality of stringers are arranged on the plurality of ribs to support the skin.    
   
   
       2 . The cover of  claim 1 , 
 wherein the skin forms a curvature around the structure of the aircraft;    wherein the form of the plurality of ribs is adapted to at least a cross section of the curvature; and    wherein the plurality of stringers essentially extend parallel to each other on the plurality of ribs.    
   
   
       3 . The cover of  claim 1 , 
 wherein a thickness and a material of the skin, first dimensions and a first distance of the plurality of stringers and second dimensions and a second distance of the plurality of ribs are adapted such that, when there is an impact of an object having third dimensions onto the skin, the energy introduced by the impact of the object is distributed over a first region of the skin, the first region having fourth dimensions;    wherein the energy introduced by the impact of the object is converted to forming-work of the skin, of the plurality of stringers, or of the plurality of ribs;    wherein an adjacent second region of the skin, onto which the energy introduced by the impact of the object on the first region of the skin is further distributed to a certain extent for further converting the impact energy to forming-work has further dimensions;    wherein the fifth dimensions of the second region are larger than the fourth dimensions of the first region.    
   
   
       4 . The cover of  claim 1 , 
 wherein the cover forms a nose part of the vertical tail, horizontal tail, or of wings of the aircraft;    wherein the nose part has an edge that extends essentially along one direction;    wherein the plurality of ribs are arranged essentially perpendicularly to this direction; and    wherein the plurality of stringers are arranged essentially parallel to this direction.    
   
   
       5 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of stringers are connected to the skin.  
   
   
       6 . The cover of  claim 5 , wherein in contact regions where the plurality of stringers touch the skin, the skin comprises thickened parts or regions.  
   
   
       7 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of stringers have at least one of a T-, L-, Z-, U- and J-shaped cross section.  
   
   
       8 . The cover of  claim 1 , 
 wherein each of the plurality of stringers comprises a stringer base that is adapted for contacting the skin; and    wherein the stringer base has at least one recess.    
   
   
       9 . The cover of  claim 8 , 
 wherein the at least one recess points towards the skin; and    wherein the at least one recess is adapted as expansion compensation region and defined buckling region in the case of deformation that is caused by the object impacting the skin.    
   
   
       10 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure and the skin are adapted for cooperation such that when a spherical body impacts the skin, the deformation of the skin caused by the impact of the spherical body does not have a rotationally symmetrical cross section.  
   
   
       11 . The cover  claim 1 , wherein the skin is made of sheet metal.  
   
   
       12 . An aircraft having at least one of the nose part of the vertical tail, nose part of the horizontal tail, or nose part of the wing, covered with a cover comprising: 
 a skin;    a support structure with said skin arranged thereon;    wherein the support structure includes a plurality of ribs and a plurality of stringers, said plurality of stringers arranged on the plurality of ribs to support said skin.